The present invention generally relates to dispensers for pastes stored in collapsible tubes. More particularly, this invention relates to a toothpaste dispenser that is relatively inexpensive, easy to install, and simple to operate and replace spent tubes.
Various devices have been proposed for dispensing toothpaste and other substances from a collapsible tube. Generally, these dispensers have been operated manually or through an electric motor. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,401,978 to Young describes a device that dispenses toothpaste from a tube through the operation of a threaded rod driven by a motor. A toothpaste tube within the device is caused to dispense toothpaste by rotating the rod with the motor, which causes a unitary squeezer (slider) to travel the length of the rod, forcing the back end of the tube through a tapered passage within the squeezer. Another example is U.S. Pat. No. 4,585,147 to Wodnicki, which discloses the use of an opposing pair of flexible squeezers, each mounted to a threaded shaft. The shafts operate in unison through a gear set and a manually-operated knob at the top of the dispenser housing.
The toothpaste dispenser of Young is complicated by the use of a motor that requires an electrical power connection, while Wodnicki's dispenser has the disadvantage of requiring that the squeezer is returned to its starting position by manually operating the knob before a new tube can be inserted.
Accordingly, there is an ongoing need for a toothpaste dispenser that is easy to install, use, and operate.